Rycnorse (4e Race)

Rycnorse

By Max Dragon

The Rycnorse are an uncommon race, and are quite mysterious. They often live alone, most fearing being shunned for their appearance. Rycnorse are creatures of the night, nearly always having wings, sometimes claws, and often with dark powers.

Racial Traits

Average Height: 6'0" - 6'6"

Average Weight: 180 - 230lb

Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom or Strength

Size: Medium

Speed: 6 squares, fly 6 (altitude limit 1, normal load only, clumsy) squares

Vision: Low-Light

Languages: Common, Draconic

Skill Bonuses: +2 Athletics, +2 Stealth

Fight or Flight: You can use the fight or flight power.

Shadow Race: You only need cover or concealment to hide, not superior cover or total concealment.

Shadowfell Resilience: You have Resist necrotic equal to 5 plus half your level.

Shadow Origin: Your powers come from darkness, so you are considered a Shadow creature for the purpose of effects related to creature origin.

Fight or Flight	Rycnorse Racial Power
As you take a beating, you fill with energy to be used for escape or revenge.
Encounter  Primal
Minor Action	Personal
Prerequisite: You are bloodied
Effect: Choose one of the following... Gain a +2 power bonus to your speed and fly speed until the end of your next turn. Gain a +2 power bonus to the next damage roll you make before the end of your next turn. Gain temporary hit points equal to 2 + your Wisdom or Strength modifier.

Rycnorse are dark, mysterious individuals, mistrusted and suspected of malign intent at best, and hunted as shades or dragons at worst. Because of this, most try to hide their appearance with bulky clothing. Rycnorse have a hidden ferocity which they can unleash when they need to, and a cool intellect when it is required. Their earliest ancestors had dragon blood in their veins, and occasionally that heritage can come to the fore. The Rycnorse are strongest at night or in areas of darkness, and can be very dangerous opponents. They can't change shape, but they have inherited other abilities which enable them to more easily disguise their appearance. They live all over the world and generally avoid minor towns as a rule. Cities and uninhabited wilderness are where they feel welcome, because they have anonymity and therefore are less likely to be feared. Most prefer wandering as outcasts and gypsies, enjoying the solitude that allows them to exist with nature peacefully. Often, their darker nature will discourage them from a life of leadership, but some can be found living in the upper echelons of society. They could be a fighter employed as a bodyguard for a King, a skilled ranger who hunts for a living, or a mage who uses her natural powers to supplement her training.

Play a Rycnorse if you want...

• To be able to fly.
• To have dark powers.
• To have no fear of darkness.
• To share a small amount of dragon heritage.
• To be a member of a race that favors the Ranger, Rogue, Druid and Fighter classes.

Physical Qualities

Rycnorse can vary dramatically in appearance, but all have large wings which drape to the ground. Some have large, draconic claws, and some have a portion of their bodies covered in scales. They can have hair of any length and color that a human might have, and their skin can be of varied complexions. They have human eyes, with colors that are common to humans, but some have dragon-colored eyes, and it is not uncommon for Rycnorse to have blue, green or gold eyes. They stand about half a foot taller than humans on average, though they will occasionally grow to be the size of a Dragonborn or taller. Extremely rarely, a Rycnorse might have a thin tail, and such individuals are often feared by others.

Playing a Rycnorse

<!-Description.->

Rycnorse Characteristics: Fierce, perceptive, predatory, protective, self-reliant, territorial, quick-witted. Rycnorse are shady characters, often avoiding the center of attention. They are good at making the best of circumstances, and turning a situation to their advantage.

Male Names: Common human names.

Female Names: Common human names.

Rycnorse Adventurers

Three sample Rycnorse adventurers are described below.

Sandy is a female Rycnorse Druid with pale grey scales covering her legs and back. She loves the wilderness, and was raised by her mother in a gypsy caravan, and enjoyed the attention she got when they stopped in a town. When she was old enough, she struck out on her own to explore more of the world, without the need to travel as slow as the caravan. She loves nature, and has met a few others of her kind, hoping to discover more about her past.

Rofi is a male Rycnorse Mage with green eyes and claws. He always loved to read, even as a child, and was fascinated by the lack of common knowledge about his race. Since he was young, he had a desire to learn about the culture of his ancestors, and to return some of their relics to the rightful heirs. He has been scouring libraries everywhere, attempting to discover some of the lost history of his race.

Banders is a male Rycnorse Rogue with gold eyes and small patches of scales on his face and neck. His parents were slain when he was young, and he has been a nomad ever since. He has often fought for whoever will pay the most money, but has lately been considering exploring the world to find more about his ancestors. He takes after his ancient draconic ancestry more than he realizes and has a fiery temper. He feels connected to his past, and it has driven him to seek out other Rycnorse.

Rycnorse Racial Options

Paragon Paths:

Epic Destinies:

Rycnorse Feats

Heroic Tier Racial Feats

Name	Description
Rycnorse Weapon Training	+2 damage and proficiency with rapiers and longswords

Paragon Tier Racial Feats

Name	Description

Epic Tier Racial Feats

Name	Description
Darkness Rising	+2 bonus to death saving throws

Rycnorse Utility Powers

When your Rycnorse character gains a class utility power after 1st level, you can forgo taking a power granted to you by your class. Instead you gain a Rycnorse utility power of the same level or lower.

Featherweight	Rycnorse Utility 2
Your wings create lift, as though you were weightless.
At-Will
Move Action	Personal
Effect: Until the end of your turn, you can hover and your flight is not clumsy.

Hunter's Breath	Rycnorse Utility 6
When you get close enough, you exhale a noxious gas, temporarily dulling the senses of your prey.
At-Will
Minor Action	Ranged 2
Target: One enemy
Effect: Until the end of your next turn, the target cannot draw line of sight to targets further than 2 squares away.

Into The Dark	Rycnorse Utility 6
While others fear the dark, you embrace it. As the world around you shrinks to a small spot of light, your powers awaken, and your power spreads to help your comrades.
Encounter  Primal
Minor Action	Close Burst 3
Target: All allies in burst
Effect: You gain dark vision until the end of the encounter. All allies in the burst gain low-light vision until the end of the encounter. If they already have low-light vision, they gain dark vision instead.

Concussive Strike	Rycnorse Utility 10
You drop from the sky, and open your wings at the last second, flattening those nearby.
Daily
No Action	Close Burst 1
Trigger: You make an attack at the end of a charge made whilst flying.
Target: All creatures in burst
Effect: You knock the targets prone. In addition, you do not suffer the penalty for clumsy flight with the triggered attack.

Constricting Tendrils	Rycnorse Utility 16
You draw upon one of your sinister natural abilities, and tendrils of shadow rise around a nearby enemy, covering their face and binding them tight.
Daily
Minor Action	Close burst 5
Target: One slowed or immobilized enemy in burst
Effect: The target is restrained and blinded (save ends)

Cloak Of Shadows	Rycnorse Utility 22
You wrap your wings around you, and you disappear from view.
Daily
Minor Action	Personal
Effect: You gain total concealment until the end of your next turn.
Sustain Minor: The effect persists.

Shadow Blast	Rycnorse Utility 22
Your anger builds, and you unleash primeval darkness from within your essence. Living shadows explode outwards from you in a wave, engulfing nearby enemies.
Daily  Primal, Necrotic, Zone
Standard Action	Ranged Burst 2
Requirement: Bloodied
Target: All enemies
Attack: +8 Vs. Reflex
Hit: The area is darkened for two turns and you have total concealment from enemies within the zone. The targets each take 2D6 damage, and are dazed (ongoing) (save ends).
Miss: The affected area is darkened for one turn, and you have concealment from enemies within the zone.

Apocrypha	Rycnorse Utility 30
You have power beyond imagining. Nothing can stand before you. You use the greatest power at your disposal to end the fighting and you bring a reign of death upon the battlefield.
Daily  Primal
Standard Action	Area Burst 7
Requirement: Bloodied
Target: All enemies
Effect: {{{effect}}}
Sustain Minor: The effect persists.

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